Fly-tipped soil costs man £719

A man who admitted fly-tipping 15 sacks of soil on a playing field at Highfield Road, Hemsworth, has been sentenced by a court to a curfew and ordered to pay over £719 in costs and compensation.

Jack Felstead, aged 27, pleaded guilty at Leeds Magistrates’ Court to the offence of fly-tipping in October 2015 and failing to surrender to bail.

Felstead, of Hawthorne Crescent, Hemsworth, was told that for eight weeks he must remain at his home address between 7pm and 7am and wear an electronic tag.

He must pay £185.30 in compensation to the council for clean-up costs, plus £474.50 for the Council’s costs of bringing the case, and a victim surcharge of £60.

Wakefield Council brought the prosecution after finding a receipt in one of the dumped sacks of soil which connected the dumped items to Felstead.

​Coun Maureen Cummings, cabinet member for environment and communities at Wakefield Council, said: “I hope this sends out a very clear message that fly-tipping will not be tolerated and we will use the powers that we have to make sure that offenders are caught and prosecuted.

“Fly-tipping causes a blight on our communities and we all have a responsibility to tackle it. If you witness fly-tipping please report it to us, we will follow up all reports.”

Reports can be made by calling the council’s contact centre on 0345 8 506 506. For more information visit www.wakefield.gov.uk/flytipping